Data Backup Workflow for Education

# Data Backup Workflow - Education

## Purpose
Implement to protect critical business data and ensure your team can recover quickly from data loss events.

## When to Use
A documented workflow for regular data backups covering scheduling, verification, off-site storage, and disaster recovery testing.

## Instructions
1. Review the template below and familiarise yourself with the structure
2. Replace all [bracketed placeholders] with your education business details
3. Customise the tone and formatting to match your brand
4. Save in your preferred tool (Zapier or Notion)

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## Data Backup Workflow

### Trigger
Scheduled backup cycle (daily, weekly, or monthly depending on data classification) or when new critical systems are added to the technology stack.

### Steps

**Step 1: Identify and Classify Data** (Owner: IT Administrator or Operations Manager) - Initial setup, then review quarterly
Maintain a data inventory in Notion listing all business-critical data sources: CRM data, financial records, client files, email, project management data, website content, and proprietary documents. Classify each by criticality (Critical, Important, Standard) and assign a backup frequency.
- Tool: Notion
- Output: Data inventory with classification and backup schedule

**Step 2: Configure Automated Backups** (Owner: IT Administrator) - Initial setup
Set up automated backup processes for each data source. Use native backup features where available (e.g., Xero data export, CRM backup). For systems without native backup, configure Zapier automations to export data on schedule. Store backup files in the designated cloud storage with clear naming conventions: [SystemName]-[YYYY-MM-DD]-backup.
- Tool: Zapier + respective platforms
- Output: Automated backups configured and tested

**Step 3: Execute Daily Backups** (Owner: Automated) - Daily at 2:00 AM AEST
Automated backups run for all Critical-classified data. This typically includes: CRM contacts and deals, accounting data, active project files, and customer databases.
- Tool: Zapier (automated)
- Output: Daily backup files created and stored

**Step 4: Execute Weekly Backups** (Owner: Automated + IT Administrator) - Every Sunday at 2:00 AM AEST
Automated backups run for Important-classified data. The IT Administrator verifies that the previous week's daily backups completed successfully. Log results in the Backup Verification Register in Notion.
- Tool: Zapier + Notion
- Output: Weekly backups completed, verification logged

**Step 5: Verify Backup Integrity** (Owner: IT Administrator) - Weekly (Monday morning)
Check that all scheduled backups completed without errors. Verify file sizes are consistent with expected ranges (a sudden drop may indicate a failed or incomplete backup). Spot-check one backup file by opening and reviewing the contents.
- Tool: Notion (verification log) + file storage
- Output: Backup integrity verified and logged

> Decision Point: If a backup has failed, investigate and resolve immediately. Re-run the backup manually if needed. If failures are recurring, review and update the backup configuration.

**Step 6: Transfer to Off-Site Storage** (Owner: IT Administrator) - Weekly
Copy the weekly backup set to a separate off-site storage location (different cloud provider or physical location). This ensures data survival in the event of a primary storage failure or account compromise.
- Tool: Cloud storage
- Output: Off-site copy confirmed

**Step 7: Monthly Full Backup** (Owner: IT Administrator) - First weekend of each month
Run a comprehensive backup of all data sources regardless of classification. This serves as the monthly recovery point. Store with 12-month retention. Archive the previous month's daily backups (retain for 3 months).
- Tool: Zapier + cloud storage
- Output: Monthly full backup completed and archived

**Step 8: Quarterly Recovery Test** (Owner: IT Administrator) - Quarterly
Perform a test restore of one Critical system and one Important system from backup files. Verify the restored data is complete, accurate, and usable. Document the test results, including time to restore.
- Tool: Test environment + Notion
- Output: Recovery test completed, results documented

**Step 9: Update Backup Procedures** (Owner: IT Administrator) - Quarterly or when systems change
Review the data inventory for any new systems, changed classifications, or retired platforms. Update backup configurations, schedules, and documentation accordingly. Notify the team of any changes via Slack.
- Tool: Notion + Slack
- Output: Backup procedures current and documented

### Completion Criteria
- [ ] Data inventory maintained and classified
- [ ] Automated backups configured for all critical systems
- [ ] Daily and weekly backups verified
- [ ] Off-site storage copy maintained
- [ ] Monthly full backup completed
- [ ] Quarterly recovery test passed
- [ ] Documentation kept current

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**Complexity:** intermediate | **Setup time:** 20 minutes | **Tools:** Zapier, Notion, Slack

Note: This template has been tailored for education businesses in Australia. Adjust terminology and compliance references to match your specific context.